Mabch 17, 1911] 



SCIENCE 



409 



eral fund," meaning equipment and, most 

 important of all, competent men. 



In the providing of suitable buildings 

 with limited means, circumstances must de- 

 cide how much can be devoted to what may 

 be called luxuries and quality as against 

 necessities and quantity; it is certainly 

 desirable to have buildings as beautiful as 

 possible, but not at the expense of ade- 

 quate size and equipment. 



Books are too often a crying need; they 

 cost so much and they show so little; and 

 yet without them research is impossible. 

 The most serious lack is usually that of 

 complete files of the scientific journals, 

 which can never be purchased on a non- 

 accumulating allowance of a hundred dol- 

 lars a year. The value of the library 

 habit to the student can hardly be over- 

 estimated, but to develop this plenty of 

 books and an attractive place for reading 

 them are almost indispensable. How wel- 

 come to the business manager of many a 

 college in straitened circumstances would 

 be the professor who "did not read books 

 but wrote them." 



Turning now to the question of assist- 

 ance, from the purely business standpoint, 

 a man should not be required to do what 

 a cheaper man can do as well; the prob- 

 lem, however, is by no means solved by so 

 stating it. The profitable use of assistants 

 is a far from simple matter; their duties 

 should be so assigned and supervised that 

 their time may be spent to the advantage 

 of the department and also to their own 

 obvious profit. The men available have 

 usually recently graduated and should 

 realize that the salary is not the chief re- 

 ward for their services, but that, the time 

 spent as an assistant in a well-conducted 

 department is valuable as a period of edu- 

 cation and necessarily precedes any more 

 advanced position in the college or univer- 

 sity world. The assistant should welcome 



all such experience, even if some drudgery 

 is included, as gives him an insight into 

 the teaching of his subject and the man- 

 agement of departmental business, such as 

 the handling and ordering of supplies, the 

 administration of classes, and the keeping 

 of systematic records. To really review 

 and extend his knowledge of the funda- 

 mentals of his subject so as to meet the 

 needs of students entitled to his help is no 

 slight task, but the assistant should use his 

 utmost efliorts towards progress in more 

 advanced study and in research if his 

 preparation is adequate. The assistant 

 who shows the right qualities will not long 

 fail to receive recognition and promotion; 

 in the teacher's profession "everything 

 comes to him as can wait" as far as he has 

 the qualifications. Given the natural abil- 

 ity, industry and personality, thorough 

 preparation will compel success; an assist- 

 ant's position in a large and efficient de- 

 partment in association with successful 

 men is better preparation for ultimate 

 success in college or university work than 

 the better paid positions in high schools 

 open to men of equal training. 



Those having charge of assistants should 

 see to it that there is opportunity and en- 

 couragement for proper growth. It is 

 through such assistants that the older 

 teachers may hope to accomplish research, 

 in doing which both are equally benefited. 

 It is, however, something of a deception to 

 call such assistants' positions "fellow- 

 ships" if the duties of the department 

 occupy any considerable part of the time. 



It is certainly desirable that the more 

 experienced teacher should delegate to as- 

 sistants such of his work as can be prop- 

 erly done by them; it is very undesirable 

 that he should cease to have direct and 

 constant contact with the work of stu- 

 dents; the direction and development of 

 courses should remain actually in his 



